Financial Information for Tracking Stock Groups - Statement of Cash Flow (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Millions |
12 Months Ended |
24 Months Ended |
Dec. 31, 2016 |
Dec. 31, 2015 |
Dec. 31, 2014 |
Dec. 31, 2016 |
| Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Net earnings (loss) |
$ 1,274
|
$ 911
|
$ 626
|
Ìý
|
| Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations |
(20)
|
(280)
|
(88)
|
Ìý
|
| Depreciation and amortization |
874
|
703
|
669
|
Ìý
|
| Stock-based compensation |
97
|
127
|
108
|
Ìý
|
| Cash payments for stock based compensation |
(92)
|
(16)
|
(15)
|
Ìý
|
| Noncash interest expense |
12
|
5
|
6
|
Ìý
|
| Share of losses (earnings) of affiliates, net |
68
|
178
|
19
|
Ìý
|
| Cash receipts from returns on equity investments |
31
|
32
|
30
|
Ìý
|
| Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net |
(1,175)
|
(114)
|
57
|
Ìý
|
| (Gains) losses on transactions, net |
(9)
|
(110)
|
(74)
|
Ìý
|
| Gain (Loss) on dilution of investment in affiliates |
(65)
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| (Gains) Losses on extinguishment of debt |
6
|
21
|
48
|
$ 21
|
| Deferred income tax (benefit) expense |
473
|
(103)
|
(60)
|
Ìý
|
| Other noncash charges (credits), net |
(115)
|
(11)
|
1
|
Ìý
|
| Current and other assets |
136
|
(237)
|
(84)
|
Ìý
|
| Payables and other current liabilities |
(117)
|
(44)
|
405
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
1,443
|
1,062
|
1,648
|
Ìý
|
| Proceeds From Disposition Of Investments |
353
|
271
|
163
|
Ìý
|
| Investments in and loans to cost and equity investees |
(86)
|
(120)
|
(71)
|
Ìý
|
| Capital expended for property and equipment |
(233)
|
(258)
|
(241)
|
Ìý
|
| Cash receipts from returns of equity investments |
Ìý
|
250
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Cash (paid) for acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
Ìý
|
(844)
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Purchases of short-term and other marketable securities |
(264)
|
(1,370)
|
(864)
|
Ìý
|
| Sales of short term and other marketable securities |
1,174
|
1,359
|
591
|
Ìý
|
| Investments in equity investees measured at fair value |
(2,400)
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Other investing activities, net |
(36)
|
(76)
|
(16)
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash used by investing activities |
(1,492)
|
(788)
|
(438)
|
Ìý
|
| Borrowings of debt |
3,427
|
4,558
|
4,506
|
Ìý
|
| Repayments of debt |
(4,498)
|
(3,811)
|
(3,749)
|
Ìý
|
| Repurchases of Liberty common stock |
(799)
|
(785)
|
(785)
|
Ìý
|
| Withholding taxes on net share settlements of stock-based compensation |
(16)
|
(30)
|
(26)
|
Ìý
|
| Acquisition of Noncontrolling Interests |
Ìý
|
33
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Distribution from Liberty Expedia Holdings |
299
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Other financing activities, net |
15
|
(21)
|
(33)
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
(1,572)
|
(122)
|
(87)
|
Ìý
|
| Effect of foreign currency exchange rates on cash |
(20)
|
(3)
|
(46)
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, discontinued operations |
17
|
17
|
286
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
(23)
|
(214)
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
371
|
Ìý
|
| Change in available cash held by discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(116)
|
Ìý
|
| Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Discontinued Operations, Total |
17
|
(6)
|
327
|
Ìý
|
| Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
(1,624)
|
143
|
1,404
|
Ìý
|
| Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
2,449
|
2,306
|
902
|
2,306
|
| Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
825
|
2,449
|
2,306
|
825
|
| QVC Group Common Stock |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Net earnings (loss) |
511
|
674
|
559
|
Ìý
|
| Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
0
|
15
|
Ìý
|
| Depreciation and amortization |
850
|
657
|
650
|
Ìý
|
| Stock-based compensation |
75
|
60
|
83
|
Ìý
|
| Cash payments for stock based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(13)
|
Ìý
|
| Noncash interest expense |
3
|
6
|
6
|
Ìý
|
| Share of losses (earnings) of affiliates, net |
(42)
|
(55)
|
(51)
|
Ìý
|
| Cash receipts from returns on equity investments |
28
|
22
|
22
|
Ìý
|
| Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net |
(2)
|
(42)
|
22
|
Ìý
|
| (Gains) Losses on extinguishment of debt |
(1)
|
21
|
48
|
Ìý
|
| Deferred income tax (benefit) expense |
(199)
|
(122)
|
(160)
|
Ìý
|
| Intergroup tax allocation |
360
|
141
|
169
|
Ìý
|
| Intergroup tax payments |
(301)
|
(101)
|
(388)
|
Ìý
|
| Other noncash charges (credits), net |
(33)
|
(14)
|
(3)
|
Ìý
|
| Current and other assets |
92
|
(245)
|
(80)
|
Ìý
|
| Payables and other current liabilities |
(68)
|
3
|
345
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
1,273
|
1,005
|
1,224
|
Ìý
|
| Investments in and loans to cost and equity investees |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(4)
|
Ìý
|
| Capital expended for property and equipment |
(206)
|
(218)
|
(226)
|
Ìý
|
| Cash receipts from returns of equity investments |
Ìý
|
200
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Cash (paid) for acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
Ìý
|
(824)
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Purchases of short-term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
(184)
|
(73)
|
Ìý
|
| Sales of short term and other marketable securities |
12
|
193
|
52
|
Ìý
|
| Other investing activities, net |
(44)
|
(76)
|
(30)
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash used by investing activities |
(238)
|
(909)
|
(281)
|
Ìý
|
| Borrowings of debt |
1,905
|
3,969
|
4,360
|
Ìý
|
| Repayments of debt |
(2,178)
|
(3,244)
|
(3,563)
|
Ìý
|
| Intergroup receipts (payments), net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1,035)
|
Ìý
|
| Repurchases of Liberty common stock |
(799)
|
(785)
|
(785)
|
Ìý
|
| Withholding taxes on net share settlements of stock-based compensation |
(15)
|
(25)
|
(25)
|
Ìý
|
| Other financing activities, net |
(16)
|
(4)
|
(8)
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
(1,103)
|
(89)
|
(1,056)
|
Ìý
|
| Effect of foreign currency exchange rates on cash |
(20)
|
(3)
|
(46)
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(20)
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
3
|
Ìý
|
| Change in available cash held by discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
3
|
Ìý
|
| Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Discontinued Operations, Total |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(14)
|
Ìý
|
| Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
(88)
|
4
|
(173)
|
Ìý
|
| Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
426
|
422
|
595
|
422
|
| Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
338
|
426
|
422
|
338
|
| Liberty Ventures common stock |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Net earnings (loss) |
763
|
237
|
67
|
Ìý
|
| Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations |
(20)
|
(280)
|
(103)
|
Ìý
|
| Depreciation and amortization |
24
|
46
|
19
|
Ìý
|
| Stock-based compensation |
22
|
67
|
25
|
Ìý
|
| Cash payments for stock based compensation |
(92)
|
(16)
|
(2)
|
Ìý
|
| Noncash interest expense |
9
|
(1)
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Share of losses (earnings) of affiliates, net |
110
|
233
|
70
|
Ìý
|
| Cash receipts from returns on equity investments |
3
|
10
|
8
|
Ìý
|
| Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net |
(1,173)
|
(72)
|
35
|
Ìý
|
| (Gains) losses on transactions, net |
(9)
|
(110)
|
(74)
|
Ìý
|
| (Gains) Losses on extinguishment of debt |
7
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Deferred income tax (benefit) expense |
672
|
19
|
100
|
Ìý
|
| Intergroup tax allocation |
(360)
|
(141)
|
(169)
|
Ìý
|
| Intergroup tax payments |
301
|
101
|
388
|
Ìý
|
| Other noncash charges (credits), net |
(82)
|
3
|
4
|
Ìý
|
| Current and other assets |
44
|
8
|
(4)
|
Ìý
|
| Payables and other current liabilities |
(49)
|
(47)
|
60
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
170
|
57
|
424
|
Ìý
|
| Proceeds From Disposition Of Investments |
353
|
271
|
163
|
Ìý
|
| Investments in and loans to cost and equity investees |
(86)
|
(120)
|
(67)
|
Ìý
|
| Capital expended for property and equipment |
(27)
|
(40)
|
(15)
|
Ìý
|
| Cash receipts from returns of equity investments |
Ìý
|
50
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Cash (paid) for acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
Ìý
|
(20)
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Purchases of short-term and other marketable securities |
(264)
|
(1,186)
|
(791)
|
Ìý
|
| Sales of short term and other marketable securities |
1,162
|
1,166
|
539
|
Ìý
|
| Investments in equity investees measured at fair value |
(2,400)
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Other investing activities, net |
8
|
Ìý
|
14
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash used by investing activities |
(1,254)
|
121
|
(157)
|
Ìý
|
| Borrowings of debt |
1,522
|
589
|
146
|
Ìý
|
| Repayments of debt |
(2,320)
|
(567)
|
(186)
|
Ìý
|
| Intergroup receipts (payments), net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1,035
|
Ìý
|
| Withholding taxes on net share settlements of stock-based compensation |
(1)
|
(5)
|
(1)
|
Ìý
|
| Acquisition of Noncontrolling Interests |
Ìý
|
33
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Distribution from Liberty Expedia Holdings |
299
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Other financing activities, net |
31
|
(17)
|
(25)
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
(469)
|
(33)
|
969
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, discontinued operations |
17
|
17
|
306
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
(23)
|
(214)
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
368
|
Ìý
|
| Change in available cash held by discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(119)
|
Ìý
|
| Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Discontinued Operations, Total |
17
|
(6)
|
341
|
Ìý
|
| Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
(1,536)
|
139
|
1,577
|
Ìý
|
| Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
2,023
|
1,884
|
307
|
1,884
|
| Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
$ 487
|
$ 2,023
|
$ 1,884
|
$ 487
|